Again, Always
by Tessenchan
Summary: Donna comes to be with the Tenth Doctor in his last moments. Ten/Donna.


**AGAIN, ALWAYS** by Tessenchan (mihane_echo)

A/N: First posted on livejournal in May 2009.

The pain is tight in his chest, squeezing around his hearts even as they beat erratically, still trying to survive this. He knows he won't. This body is finished, and when he wakes up he'll be someone else again.

It never gets easy. Dying again and again, and being reborn in the fire like a phoenix from a myth, isn't something someone gets used to.

He gasps, breaths coming harsher now. His hands shake uncontrollably as he leans heavily against the console. The TARDIS is huge and glowing around him, just him and his beautiful ship... He shuts his eyes to close off the emptiness. He can't bear it, being alone; _dying_ alone.

And that's when he feels her.

He feels her presence in his space, smells her skin and her hair and it's like a jolt of electricity through his failing body; she's here, it's impossible, but she's here--

The Doctor looks up into the lovely face of Donna Noble, standing a distance away from him, her whole body seeming to glow in the light of the console. She's looking at her hands in bewilderment, unable to understand how she came to be here, but then she looks up at him, breathes his name.

The energy builds in him and he knows he hasn't got much time left; his mouth opens and closes reflexively, able to find neither the words nor the strength to speak them. So much to say! He doesn't have time, there's no time. But Donna just comes to his side and holds him, her fingers clenching tightly into his clothes as she clings to him.

His vision grows blurry and hot as he gazes at the skin of her bare arm; it's so strange. It isn't the light of the console that's causing Donna's skin to glow. She just is.

The same as him.

The metacrisis!

No.

"N-No..." he manages, before another wave of pain chokes the air from him. He tries to push her off him, but Donna's embrace is like a warm blanket, trapping him down. He feels so weak now. "Donna, don't... you too..."

He feels her shake her head against his, but before she can say anything, his body is on fire. Arms and head go back as the energy surges through him, rebuilds his dying body. The man he used to be melts away, replaced by a stranger.

And Donna...

Donna stands before him, bathed in the same brilliant golden light. Another woman emerges as Donna's familiar features fade away. When the light dies down off them both, the Doctor stumbles back, collapsing against one of the large coral supports. Donna drops to her knees.

It takes him a moment to regain his bearings, his skin itches all over and his suit doesn't quite fit right anymore; he's not as slim as he was. But the very moment he feels comfortable enough, he rushes back forward to Donna and takes her in his arms. She's shaking, her eyes wide as she digests what's just happened to her. He gives her a look over himself, takes in her new appearance.

She's still ginger, but smaller in frame. Almost sort of willowy. And young. So very young.

But it's Donna, he can see that in her eyes.

She gawps at him.

"Oh my god," she says, and then slaps her hand over her own mouth, surprised at her voice that isn't her voice. "_Oh my god!_"

"Just relax, Donna--" and then he recoils for the same reason. "Blimey, my voice has gotten deep." He licks his tongue over his teeth, chomps them together a bit, and comments to no one, "Blah, blah, blah..."

"What happened," demands Donna, cutting him off in mid-blah; he's fascinated by the fact that even though she doesn't sound like herself, she manages to shriek just the same. "Was it the metacrisis?!"

"I think so," the Doctor says hesitantly. He smoothes one hand over her bare shoulder curiously; her shirt hangs on her now. Her new body isn't as well-endowed. "The leftover energy called you here, didn't it?"

Donna nods, looking distant. "It was like being ripped apart inside. I heard you in pain, I... _felt_ it." She holds one hand over her heart and looks up at him with her new eyes. "I wanted to be with you, and then... I just was."

"And then the two energies synced up and you regenerated as well... Donna, this is..." He shakes his head helplessly, his voice sounding high as he gets frustrated. "I can't fix this, this is it. I can't change you back, you've regenerated, you have a new body and I can't take it back." He glares at her, more afraid than angry.

She smiles at him. "It's okay."

"It _isn't_," he argues, absolutely floored by her easy acceptance of the situation. "How can you go back to your life, your job..." He grimaces as though the next thought causes him real physical pain. "How am I going to explain this to your mother?"

Donna rolls her eyes and ignores the question; carefully she pushes herself to her feet, wobbles a bit on her new long legs and even gives herself an appreciative whistle. "I like those," she comments with a grin. "My feet look kind of small now, do you think I'll still be able to fit into those sandals I got on Shan Shen?"

"Donna!" He grits his teeth, fighting frustration. "Why aren't you absolutely furious?"

"Should I be?"

"I think you should; I am!" He gesticulates wildly, nearly whacking his arm into the console of the TARDIS. "This is my fault! This should never have happened, I shouldn't have _let_ it happen!"

"You were a bit busy _dying_," she reminds him pointedly.

"This isn't what I wanted for you!" he yells, and it strikes him that Donna is looking offended. Arms folded over her chest, one eyebrow raised indignantly. "Homeless and wandering like me, when you have a family, you have a home... You deserve better than this, Donna," he finishes weakly, his energy spent.

She clicks her tongue and gazes down at him, still on his knees before her. After a long moment, she nods her head once. "Awright, first of several: who the hell are you to tell me what I deserve? I'll decide that on my own, thank you very much. Second, I'll handle Mum," she promises. "And the third, very important thing that you absolutely have to get straight before we go any further."

"What's that?"

"This was not your fault," she tells him firmly, each syllable spoken deliberately. "I knew what would happen, I held onto you even though you asked me not to. I made my decision, it's done and it wasn't your fault." An uncomfortable shadow lingers in her eyes and for that moment, she is utterly Donna. "That is... if you still want me."

"I'm not saying no," he says automatically, flashing back to a rainy alley behind a club; it seems like so long ago now. At his answer, the shadow disappears from her eyes and Donna sways side to side, almost dancing to silent music. She's indomitable.

The Doctor shakes his head at her, bemused. "But..." It's almost too much to hope for. "Why?"

The new Donna grins at him and bends down, takes his brand-new square jaw in both hands. "Because when I said forever, I didn't mean until you have to wipe my memory because I'd become a Time Lord in a human body, dumbo."

She leans forwards and presses her lips to his, warm and soft and tender; her name is a wispy half-thought before he pushes himself up, reaching around to hold her in his arms. Donna pulls away, licks her lips to savor the taste of him still clinging there. Her eyes glitter mischievously, taunting him with everything and promising nothing.

The Doctor shakes his head with a weak laugh. "Thank you, Donna Noble."

"Don't mention it, Spaceman," she says perkily. "So... where do you want to go first?"

"Hair parlour," he replies immediately, and gives his shaggy hair a shake. "Something's got to be done about this."

Donna's eyes inch up to look at it; she blinks. "Why, what's wrong with it?"

And with a pointed stare, he gestures furiously at the long locks hanging limp over his eyes. The very brown locks.

"Does this _look_ ginger to you?!"

**end**


End file.
